Tag: #McCownFineArt

I’ve been making art since I was a child, it’s a part of the very fabric of how God created me. However, it is also very vulnerable and personal. I’ve kept it to myself for a very long time. Sure, I’ve sold pieces here and there or posted pictures of things I have worked on for my own home or family members. I’ve just never gone the route of a public showing. The past few months I prepared to take that leap, fearless in 2018. This weekend was the culmination of all that work. So much anxiety and anticipation has now been replaced with relief. It is over. What next?

I was fortunate to have sold a few small pieces. In speaking with many of the artists in at the event, it was a very dry event. Most didn’t sell anything, those who did sold smaller pieces, and even the most experienced artists didn’t recuperate their expenses to be at the show. (Some traveled in to the area = travel and lodging expenses). You could feel it walking through the space as it seemed so many had just given up.

I try to be optimistic in life. To see the good through the bad. In this case, where many others were facing disappointment…

I was thankful for the opportunity to show. Not everyone was excepted into the show.

I was proud of myself for actually overcoming the anxiety and nerves, and putting out my work for the public to see.

I was grateful for the positive comments and encouraging feedback, even from those who never bought a thing.

My eyes were open to appreciate the uniqueness of my pieces, as there were not others even in the same ballpark. Great artists, but none like me.

From my own space, I was able to create a list of things I would do differently next time around.

From others, I was a willing student to listen to their wisdom and experience. Those who were kind enough to share their tips invested in me, and that doesn’t go unnoticed. I bought a piece or took their card for a future purchase.

I was even able to learn more about who my ideal customer and market is, and that in and of itself is beyond putting a value on.

Things don’t always work out like we think, for the better or worse. However, there is always an opportunity to learn and grow. Never take that for granted.